Plant experts say this one mistake is causing your calathea to droop – plus tips on how to save it

I have a couple of different calatheas in my ever-growing houseplant collection and there is no doubt they're the fussiest plants I own. After many rounds of trial and error, I have figured out how to keep these beautiful plants happy, and more specifically how to stop a calathea drooping.

The truth is, calathea care is not for the weak. It can be time-consuming and you have to be very reactive to any signs of their growing environment needing adjusting. For this reason, it's not uncommon to see the unique, patterned foliage of calatheas droop, curl, or crisp.

If you do spot your calathea drooping, however, don't fret. It's likely you're making a common calathea mistake that can easily be rectified. Here, plant experts reveal what exactly causes this issue and how to revive a drooping calathea.

Why is my calathea drooping?

There is likely only one cause behind your calathea drooping - incorrect moisture levels. But don't worry, we're all guilty of getting this wrong at some point, especially considering it's tricky to master watering calatheas correctly.

'If your calathea is drooping, immediately check your potting mix,' says Raffaele Di Lallo, plant expert from Ohio Tropics. 'These plants hate to go completely dry, and like most plants, will respond by drooping their foliage,' he explains.

These plants require consistent moisture levels to stay happy, so you should wait until the top two inches of soil are dry before watering it again. I like to use this soil moisture meter from Amazon to check my calathea's soil every time before watering.

'On the opposite end though, if your plant has been sitting in water for extended periods of time (either from no drainage holes in the pot, or maybe it's sitting in water in the saucer below the plant for a long time), this can cause houseplant root rot, and ironically, your plant will become dehydrated since it can't efficiently take in water,' Raffaele says.

In the case of underwatering, you're more likely to see calathea leaves curling or crisping up from dehydration and leaf scorch.

Raffaele Di Lallo

Raffaele Di Lallo is the founder of the blog Ohio Tropics which focuses on the care of houseplants and other tropical plants, both indoors and outdoors. He has a large following on Instagram where he gives plant care tips and is the author of Houseplant Warrior: 7 Keys to Unlocking the Mysteries of Houseplant Care, published by Countryman Press.

How to revive a drooping calathea

Thankfully, it's incredibly easy to revive a drooping calathea, so you shouldn't be too quick to give up on yours if it is starting to droop. All you need is a houseplant watering can (from Amazon).

'Go ahead and water your calathea, making sure to let it get dehydrated in the future,' Raffaele says. 'You can even experiment with self-watering pots (from Amazon).'

Give your calathea a deep watering to ensure the soil is sufficiently moist. Make sure to also remove any excess water caught in the saucer of your calathea's pot to avoid it becoming oversaturated.

'I like to move it to the sink and shower it,' says houseplant expert, Lisa Eldred Steinkopf. 'This also helps to clean houseplant leaves of dust so they can photosynthesize better and they appear brighter,' she adds.

By maintaining proper growing conditions going forward, including plenty of bright light, you'll see your calathea perk up again in no time.

Lisa Eldred Steinkopf

Lisa is a houseplant expert who runs her blog The Houseplant Guru with over a decade of professional experience at Steinkopf Nursery and Garden Center in Michigan. As a child, Lisa helped her grandma tend to African violets and other houseplants. Since then, Lisa has forged a career providing houseplant advice, holding lectures and writing for publications across the US.

FAQs

Does over-fertilizing cause a calathea to droop?

Over-fertilizing a calathea is unlikely to cause drooping. Instead, this fertilizing mistake is likely to cause root burn and root rot from oversaturated soil. 'It may cause the margins of the leaves to brown,' says Raffaele Di Lallo, plant expert from Ohio Tropics. To avoid this damage, only fertilize your calathea during its active growth season in spring and summer.

'Regularly rinsing your calathea not only keeps it hydrated, it also keeps spider mites and other common houseplant pests at bay,' Lisa notes.

An alternative way to keep your calathea hydrated is by growing a calathea in water. Just make sure to regularly change out the water and keep on top of other care requirements to help your plants thrive.